1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an air suspension, and more particularly to a Macpherson strut type air suspension used for an automobile and having a novel damping capacity adjusting mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For a strut type air suspension is there one capable of adjusting the damping capacity thereof, that is, the damping force of a shock absorber and the spring constant of an air spring. In this type of suspension, the shock absorber has a damping force adjusting mechanism provided in association with a piston disposed slidably in a cylinder and is constituted such that the kinetic energy of liquid flowing through the piston is varied. On the other hand, the air spring is constituted such that a main air chamber formed by surrounding the shock absorber with a housing and a diaphragm and an auxiliary air chamber are filled with compressed air for affording and shutting off communication between the main and auxiliary air chambers with a valve.
In said type of suspension, wherein a structure for adjusting the damping force of the shock absorber and the spring constant of the air spring at the same time is employed, a single control rod was extended from an actuator into a piston rod of the shock absorber to adjust the damping force of the shock absorber on the one hand and the spring constant of the air spring on the other by this control rod.